Eating for two? Think again. As a first time mother, you probably have the urge to overindulge on a wide range of mouthwatering meals, but the fact is, if you don’t watch what you eat—even while you’re in the third trimester of your pregnancy—there’s a pretty good chance you could end up having a difficult time taking off that weight once the baby’s been born.
It’s easy to get caught up in your cravings when you’re lugging a basketball underneath your sweater, but try to keep these three tips in mind before you head straight for the candy aisle at your neighborhood grocery store. Right now, visions of chocolate bars and sweet-tasting pastries may be floating around your head, but if you follow our helpful advice, future-you will be grateful in the long run!
1. Eating for two
Okay, we get it—you’re pregnant, your back aches and you haven’t been able to see your toes for a couple weeks now. What’s the harm in pigging out on the half carton of ice cream, especially when you’ve got a little baby to nurture in your belly? Honestly, there’s a lot of harm in it, especially when you consider that your body only needs between 300 to 500 extra calories a day to support the baby. All that chowing down now might seem harmless, but it will come back to haunt you later.
Read more: 5 foods to avoid in your first trimester
2. Sampling uncooked meats, fishes, and unpasteurized dairy
Before you started getting ready for baby, you might have been a culinary adventurer, devouring all the fishes, soft cheeses, and experimental dishes you could get. But when you’re carrying around a little bun in the oven, you have to be careful about what you throw into the mix, and eating anything that isn’t fully cooked, or derives from unpasteurized milk like panela or Brie, can actually be pretty risky.
3. Restricting calories
While it’s a good idea to be cautious about what you put into your body while you’re pregnant, that doesn’t mean you should take this to an extreme and start dieting. Some women can struggle to pack on the pounds during pregnancy, especially if they’ve been directed by their healthcare providers to be on bedrest or have struggled with chronic health issues during their terms. But if you’re trying to avoid gaining weight because you’re afraid of the hassle involved with shedding those pounds, try to divorce yourself from this negative mode of thinking. After all, getting a nice bump is part of the charm of pregnancy!
You don’t have to miss out on saying “cheers!” with friends and family while you’re sporting your baby bump. Get access to irresistible mocktail recipes that would make anyone ask, “wait, what are you having?” Just click below!
